Work, but don’t forget to live
I had so many things to do this week that I decided to…go to the movies after work. It’s summer, it is way too hot, and it finally started raining that day, and I felt like watching a movie. So, I went to see The Lion King (unfortunately I didn’t feel much, but the technology they used is impressive.) Going to the movies by myself before noon with my coffee in my hand (and I just discovered that tickets are cheaper at that time) – this is one of the things I have always loved doing.
The reason I’m writing about this is that there is this trend nowadays to „keep pushing”; work for 14h a day, sleep when you can, shower when you can, and hustle. Eee…No.
I’ve always had this tendency to „be busy,” but I finally discovered that that is just not working. „Pushing it” doesn’t serve you. Don’t get me wrong – there are days (weeks or months) when we are super busy and have to focus on getting everything done. I’ve been there myself, and I bet you’ve been there too, but I won’t agree that this is the only way to achieve something meaningful.
I do believe that our body is this perfect guide for us, that it is talking to us and gives us hints when we need to rest. If you feel tired, if your face looks tired, if you don’t have much energy – guess what? You’re tired, and you need to rest up – that’s very simple. Yes, you can push it, you can get to your limits, but let me ask you something – do you think that your body will be fine afterward? Do you think that if you push like that for a year or even years; your body will not be impacted by it? Do you believe that a week of recovery afterward will be enough for you?
Exhausting your body (pushing it to the limits it’s draining it) will have a tremendous effect on your health. You get to this money you want (let’s face it, it is usually for the money), but you will spend a massive chunk of this money on repairing your health, and some things can’t be repaired.
Not only that, some relationships can’t be repaired; some emotions can’t be repaired, and that’s why you’re going for with this „pushing it.” Going over the limit for a long time has its price. And I guarantee you that you will pay for it.
So what’s the solution? I’m not asking you to give up and go to the movies every day, but I suggest you to start looking at your life as a journey. The finish line is not a goal itself. Getting there is all the fun. If you have no joy in getting to the place you’re going, there is no point of doing it in the first place. I’ve always lived in the future, and I finally focused on now. I take day by day, making sure that I don’t exhaust myself. I still do my things – write, work with people, record videos, educate myself, work on my business, but I also watch movies, spend time by the river or in the park (I’m writing this post sitting in Bryant Park), take time to have my coffee, I read and look around, and I take the whole weekend off sometimes! Before I started writing this post, I starred at people in this park for an hour and was listening to Broadway actors singing (there was a free „Broadway in Bryant Park” event; lucky me.) I’ve even learned to not to schedule anything for myself for a whole day (well, I’ll end up doing something anyway, but not because I have to, but because I feel refreshed and I want to.)
I don’t want you to do the same things, but take advantage of summer and your life. Don’t be so sure about tomorrow (it’s not a pessimist, but realist talking).
Getting to the goal is a wonderful feeling, but I’ve heard it too often from people (especially from the Olympic athletes), that the next day after they won their gold, they felt extremely lonely. Because the goal was gone and they realized that it was all they had in their lives.
Once again – enjoy the ride. Appreciate the things around you, and work, but don’t forget to live at the same time.
